Portable wig dryer

ABSTRACT

An electrically operated portable wig dryer comprising a base and an upwardly extending hemispherical dome preferably formed of wire mesh coated with plastisol. Mounted within the dome is an electric fan having its blade directed downwardly. A flange extends vertically upwardly around the entire periphery of the base. A wig is removably mounted on the dome and held in place by the resilient band of the wig and frictional engagement between the wig and the dome. In use, the fan draws air into the dome through the upper portion of the wig and then outwardly against the lower portion of the wig. Air strikes the flange and is directed upwardly and outwardly between the wig and the flange. The drying action is thus concentrated on the hard to dry lower portion of the wig. Collapsible supporting means are provided for the dryer.

United States Patent 91 Helwig PORTABLE WIG DRYER [76] Inventor: Carl W.Helwig, 906 Crestview Ave., Glendale, Calif. 91202 [22] Filed:- Aug. 12,1971 [21] Appl. No.: 171,257

3,006,078 10/1961 Parker et a1. ..34/90 3,148,957 9/1964 Ballard ..34/992,094,042 9/ 1937 Lichterman ..34/106 3,265,346 8/1966 Petrick ..34/99[4 1 Apr. 10, 1973 FORElGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,175,940 l/1970Great Britain ..34/103 Primary ExaminerKenneth W. Sprague AssistantExaminer.1ames C. Yeung Attorney-Robert C. Comstock ABSTRACT Anelectrically operated portable wig dryer comprising a base and anupwardly extending hemispherical dome preferably formed of wire meshcoated with plastisol. Mounted within the dome is an electric fan havingits blade directed downwardly. A flange extends vertically upwardlyaround the entire periphery of the base. A wig is removably mounted onthe dome and held in place by the resilient band of the wig andfrictional engagement between the wig and the dome. In use, the fandraws air into the dome through the upper portion of the wig and thenoutwardly against the lower portion of the wig. Air strikes the flangeand is directed upwardly and outwardly between the wig and the flange.The drying action is thus concentrated on the hard to dry lower portionof the wig. Collapsible supporting means are provided for the dryer.

3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PORTABLE WIG DRYER BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to a portablewig dryer.

2. Description of the Prior Art Wig dryers of various kinds are known inthe prior art. They are frequently unsatisfactory because they drive airupwardly through the crown of the wig, which is quickly dried while thelower portion of the wig remains wet. This is particularly true if thelower portion of the wig is provided with a resilient band for mountingand holding the wig on the head of the wearer. This band and reinforcingmaterial along the lower edge of the wig hold water longer and are moredifficult to dry than the hair of the wig. Previously known wig dryersdo not solve the problem of quickly and properly drying these lowerportions of the wig as well as the hair ofthe wig itself.

Most of the previously known wig dryers also require pins, clips andother fastening means to attach and hold the wig on the dryer.

Many wig dryers in the prior art utilize heat in drying the wig, whichis unsatisfactory because it dries the wig too rapidly and damages it.This is especially true of newer wigs manufactured with synthetic fiberswhich are easily destroyed by heat.

Most of the previously known wig dryers are bulky and awkward in sizeand cannot be transported or used in various environments andcircumstances.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a wig dryer which isan improvement over the prior art because it is portable and includesfolding mounting means which permit its use in substantially anyenvironment or circumstances.

It is accordingly among the objects of the invention to provide a wigdryer which is an improvement over the prior art because it is portableand can be carried and used substantially any place.

The wig dryer utilizes a fan which drives air downwardly away from thecrown of the wig rather than upwardly through the wig. The air is drivenagainst the lower portion of the wig, then downwardly around the loweredge of the wig and then upwardly around the outer periphery of the wig.The drying action is accordingly concentrated on the portion of the wigwhich is most difficult to dry. Fresh air is drawn into the dryerthrough the crown of the wig itself.

Another object of the invention accordingly is to provide a wig dryer inwhich air is driven downwardly rather than upwardly, in order toconcentrate the dry ing action around the lower portion of the wig, andparticularly around the band which extends along the lower edge of thewig.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wig dryer in which airis moved against the lower portion of the wig and then downwardly fromthe dryer beneath the lower edge of the wig and upwardly around theoutside ofthe wig.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wig dryer in which thewig can be mounted and held on the dryer by means of frictionalengagement between the wig and the dryer, without requiring the use ofpins, clips or extraneous fastening-members of any kind. The wig issecurely held during the drying operation and also during any subsequentstyling of the wig after it has been dried.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a wig dryer of thetype described which is simple and economical in its structure andoperation.

It is also among the objects of the invention to provide a wig dryerhaving all of the advantages and benefits set forth above and describedhereinafter in this specification.

The invention also comprises such other objects, ad vantages andcapabilities as will later more fully appear and which are inherentlypossessed by the invention.

While there is shown in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodimentof the invention, it should be understood that the same is susceptibleof modification and change without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of apreferred embodiment of wig dryer in use, with the supporting members inextended position and a. portion of the wig broken away;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial sectional view of the same;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 3-- 3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 4- 4 of FIG. 1.

The arrows in the drawings indicate in a general way the direction ofmovement of the air.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment which hasbeen selected to illustrate'the invention comprises a flat circular base10. Extending upwardly from the base 10 is a substantially hemisphericaldome 11, which is preferably composed of wire formed into a mesh. Thedome 11 illustrated in the drawings is formed of intersecting wiresextending in vertical and horizontal directions. The wire forming thedome 11 is preferably coated with a suitable plastic coating materialsuch as plastisol, which provides the dome 11 with a non-slippingfrictional surface which is adapted to make a gripping frictionalengagement with the inner surface of a wig 12 which is removably mountedon the dome 11 for drying purposes.

Mounted adjacent the center of the base 10 is an electric motor 13,which is connected to a fan 14 mounted directly above and upon it. Thefan 14 is disposed adjacent to the center of the dome 11 and its bladesare directed downwardly rather than upwardly. The central portion of thebase 10 beneath the motor 13 is provided with a plurality ofperforations 15 for cooling the motor 13. An electric cord 16 extendsfrom the motor 13 to a suitable source of electrical supply. The cord 16or the dryer itself may be provided with a control switch.

Extending upwardly from the base 10 is an annular flange 17, whichextends around the entire periphery of the base 10. The purpose of theflange 17 is to control the direction of movement of the air during thedrying operation, as described hereinafter.

Extending vertically upwardly within the dome 11 is an enclosed housing18 having a substantially square cross-section. The housing 18 isadapted to removably receive the upper end of an upper support member 19when the same is in its upper supporting position. The housing 18extends through the base and has a portion 20 disposed beneath the base10 which carries a transversely directed pin 21.

The upper support member 19 has a channel or U- shaped configuration incross-section. The sides of the member 19 adjacent the upper end thereofare provided with a pair of aligned elongated slots 22 which aresomewhat enlarged at their upper ends. The pin 21 extends transverselythrough the slots 22.

The sides of the upper support member 19 adjacent the lower end thereofare also provided with a pair of aligned elongated slots 23, throughwhich extends a transversely directed pin 24 which is carried by theupper end of a lower support member 25. The lower support member 25 isformed similarly to the upper support member 19, except that it is widerand is adapted to fit around the upper support member 19.

The sides of the lower end of the lower support member 25 are cut away,leaving only the flat base from which projects a threaded stud 26 whichslidably extends through an elongated slot 32 in the shank 27 of a yoke28. A wing nut 29 is mounted on the stud 26. A bolt 30 threadedlyextends through one side of the yoke 28. Its inner end carries acircular plate 31 which extends parallel to the opposite side of theyoke 28.

In use, a wig 12 is mounted over the dome 11 so that the wig l2completely encloses the dome 11 except for an annular portion of thedome 11 which is disposed directly above the flange 17. The wig 12 isheld in place on the dome 11 by the resilient band which extends aroundpart or all of the lower edge of the wig 12 and also by frictionalengagement between the inner surface of the wig l2 and the plastisolmaterial covering the dome 11. The resilient band and frictional engagement combine to hold the wig l2 securely in place on the dome 11 duringthe drying operation and during any subsequent styling of the wig 12,without requiring the use of any pins or other extraneous fasteningmeans.

When the fan 14 is operated, it draws air into the dome 11 through theupper portion of the wig 12. This air is driven downwardly and outwardlyso that it strikes the lower edge of the wig 12 around its entireperiphery. The air is also driven outwardly through the gap between thelower portion of the wig 12 and the upper edge of the flange ,17. Someof the air from the fan 14 strikes the flange 17 and is deflectedupwardly, so that the air which passes out of the dome 11 flows upwardlyagainst the outside of the lower portion of the wig 12. There isaccordingly a flow of air against the inside and the outside of thelower portion of the wig 12.

The downwardly directed blade of the fan 14 and the upward deflectingability of the flange 17 cooperate to concentrate the air movement anddrying action on the lower edge portion of the wig 12, the area wherethe most moisture is concentrated due to water flow and thickening ofthewig by resilient means and reinforcing means.

When the dryer is not in use, the supporting stand can be collapsed tofit directly beneath the base 10.

The upper support member 19 is moved downwardly so that it is completelywithdrawn from the housing 1 8. The pin 21 extends through the upper endof the slots 22 and the upper support member 19 can be pivoted to aposition in which it extends parallel to and is disposed directlybeneath the base 10.

The lower support member 25 is moved downwardly so that the pin 24extends through the lower end of the slots 23. The lower support member25 can then be pivoted so that it underlies and extends substantiallyparallel to the upper support member 19.

When the dryer is to be mounted for use, the support members 19 and 25are moved in the opposite direction. The support members 19 and 25 aremoved from a substantially horizontal position beneath the base 10 to asubstantially vertical position. The upper end of the upper supportmember 19 is moved upwardly so that it is disposed within the housing 18and the pin 21 extends through the lower end of the slots 22. The upperend of the upper support member 19 engages the interior of the housing18, which prevents any pivotal movement of the upper support member 19with respect to the base 10 and dome 11.

The lower support member 25 is moved upwardly so that the pin 24 extendsthrough the upper end of the slot 23. In this position, the upper end ofthe lower support member 25 fits around and engages the lower end of theupper support member 19, preventing any,

pivotal movement of the lower support member 25 with respect to theupper support member 19.

The yoke 28 can be pivoted on the stud 26 and held in any desiredangular position with respect to the lower support member 25 bytightening the wing nut 29. The bolt 30 can be tightened to mount thedryer on any object having a portion capable of being gripped betweenthe plate 31 and the opposite side of the yoke 28. This may be the edgeof a dressing table, desk, drawer, etc.

Iclaim:

1. A wig dryer comprising a base, a perforated dome extending upwardlyfrom said base, said dome being adapted to receive and removably hold awig for drying, said wig substantially enclosing said dome except forthe lower portion of said dome adjacent to said base, a fan mountedwithin said dome, the blade of said fan being arranged to draw air intosaid dome through the upper portion of said wig and out from said domethrough the uncovered lower portion thereof beneath the bottom edge ofsaid wig, the bottom of said base being imperforate and means disposedadjacent to the uncovered lower portion of said dome for deflecting inan upward direction air driven outwardly from said dome by said fan,said means comprising an annular flange extending substantiallyvertically upwardly from said base, said flange extending aroundsubstantially the entire periphery of said base, whereby the flow of airfrom said dome is directed primarily against both the inside and outsideof the lower portion of said wig.

2. The structure described in claim 1, said dome being formed ofinter-secting vertically and horizontally directed wires, the outersurface of said wires being covered with frictional material whereby awig can be held in a stationary position on said dome by the resilientmeans forming part of said wig and the frictional engagement betweensaid wig and the frictional material covering said dome.

3. The structure described in claim 1, and collapsible means forremovably attaching and supporting said wig dryer on a stationaryobject, said collapsible means comprising a pair of pivotally mountedelongated support members adapted to be moved between a substantiallyvertical end-to-end supporting position and a horizontal collapsedposition in which they are disposed adjacent to each other underlyingsaid base

1. A wig dryer comprising a base, a perforated dome extending upwardlyfrom said base, said dome being adapted to receive and removably hold awig for drying, said wig substantially enclosing said dome except forthe lower portion of said dome adjacent to said base, a fan mountedwithin said dome, the blade of said fan being arranged to draw air intosaid dome through the upper portion of said wig and out from said domethrough the uncovered lower portion thereof beneath the bottom edge ofsaid wig, the bottom of said base being imperforate and means disposedadjacent to the uncovered lower portion of said dome for deflecting inan upward direction air driven outwardly from said dome by said fan,said means comprising an annular flange extending substantiallyvertically upwardly from said base, said flange extending aroundsubstantially the entire periphery of said base, whereby the flow of airfrom said dome is directed primarily against both the inside and outsideof the lower portion of said wig.
 2. The structure described in claim 1,said dome being formed of inter-secting vertically and horizontallydirected wires, the outer surface of said wires being covered withfrictional material whereby a wig can be held in a stationary positionon said dome by the resilient means forming part of said wig and thefrictional engagement between said wig and the frictional materialcovering said dome.
 3. The structure described in claim 1, andcollapsible means for removably attaching and supporting said wig dryeron a stationary object, said collapsible means comprising a pair ofpivotally mounted elongated support members adapted to be moved betweena substantially vertical end-to-end supporting position and a horizontalcollapsed position in which they are disposed adjacent to each otherunderlying said base.